An incredible amount of infrastructure is relied upon to transport electricity from power stations, where the majority of electricity is currently generated, to where it is consumed by individuals. Power stations can generate electricity in a number of ways including using fossil fuels or using renewable sources of energy such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric sources. Substations typically do not generate electricity, but can change the voltage level of the electricity as well as provide protection to other grid infrastructure during faults and outages. From here, the electricity travels over distribution lines to bring electricity to homes, businesses, schools, etc.
Electric vehicles (EVs) use an electric motor for propulsion. EV adoption has been spurred by federal, state, and local government policies providing various incentives (e.g. rebates, fast lanes, parking, etc.). The term “smart grid” describes a new approach to power distribution which leverages advanced technology to track and manage the distribution of electricity. A smart grid applies upgrades to existing power grid infrastructure including the addition of more renewable enemy sources, advanced smart meters that digitally record power usage in real time, and bidirectional energy flow that enables the generation and storage of energy in additional places along the electric grid. Continued EV adoption will have a big impact on the future smart grid from the huge load EVs add to the stress of the grid (an EV's power demand can be many times that of an average residential house).